An implanted penile prosthetic is effective in relieving erectile dysfunction in men.
A penile prosthetic typically includes an inflatable cylinder that is implanted in each corpora cavernosum of the penis, a reservoir implanted in the abdomen that communicates with the cylinders, and a pump, often located in the scrotum, that is employed to move liquid from the reservoir into the cylinders for inflation of the implanted cylinders.
In a typical application, the user squeezes a bulb of the pump multiple times to draw liquid out of the reservoir and pump the liquid into the cylinders. The repeated squeezing of the bulb thus moves the liquid from the reservoir into the cylinders to provide the user with an erect penis. The user may return the penis to its flaccid state by selectively transferring the liquid from the cylinders back into the reservoir.
Some users suffer from a reduced range of motion in their fingers or from reduced dexterity, at times due to arthritis of the hand. These users can have difficulty in grasping the pump bulb or in repeatedly squeezing the pump bulb.
Penile prostheses have proven effective in relieving erectile dysfunction in men. However, users and their surgeons would welcome improvements to penile prostheses.